Once Upon Our Line
by LovingPillow
Summary: Time moves on, but memories do not. Sakura watches from afar as her childhood best friend moves further from her life. Warning: Possible character death.


_**Age 6**_

To untrained eyes, two children ran around the field as they played chase, the girl being IT.

To trained eyes, they were in a spar. Kunai flown in a few seconds followed after shuriken, neither party let down their guard.

"Hyuuga-kun, slow down!" Sakura called after her best friend, who she met just a few months ago. She jumped from tree branch to tree branch, hoping that she could catch up to her friend.

"Haruno-chan, you just have to be faster." Neji scoffed with a teasing grin, soon replaced by a scowl when Sakura threw one of his kunai towards the tree branch he would have obviously stepped on, if not for his quick thinking and reflexes.

_**Age 7**_

"Happy birthday Haruno-chan." Neji said as he handed Sakura her neatly wrapped present.

Large green eyes glistened with tears before they disappeared behind bright pink bangs.

"Thank you Hyuuga-kun." Sakura whispered; having opened the present to find a beautiful pendant sitting quietly, its sterling silver chain just waiting for the opportunity it would gently hug someone's neck. The pendant itself looked to be very expensive. The gemstone inside glistened brightly, for the bloodstone to shine underneath the sunlight, it would result to having been polished for a long time.

Pale lavender eyes watched fondly as bright green eyes met its gaze.

Later, she would learn what the gemstone meant.

_**Age 9**_

"You can't see him anymore, Miss Haruno." Hizashi softly informed Sakura. He secretly hoped she would not question why, but he knew he'd have to answer them if she did ask.

Sakura, having a vast knowledge and understanding, immediately bowed. "I understand, Hyuuga-sama." She fought the tears that tended to burst at times like these, where Neji would usually calm her until she forgot the reason of pain.

Hizashi turned around and began walking back, slightly proud of the young girl for accepting the change. He knew that it was wrong to detach their connection, but he knew that it would bring more pain to Neji if he found out that Hiashi planned to seal Sakura's tongue from revealing any Hyuuga techniques she's seen or learnt.

_**Age 12**_

Sakura grew up, shielding herself whenever someone talked to her. She wasn't the same since Neji left her–both as a friend and an acquaintance.

Long brown hair caught Sakura's peripheral vision.

"Hinata-sama, Hiashi-sama is waiting for you." Neji, the clear definition of handsome, seemed more distant than ever. Three years ago, if someone had told him that his best friend would betray his trust and friendship, he would have laughed it off. Three years ago, his father told him that his best friend only became friends to learn the Hyuuga clan's techniques. Ever since, he's shut himself from making friends, deciding it was fate that led him this way.

Bright pink hair caught Neji's peripheral vision.

Sakura turned around as she hid her tears inside a box of memories, the same one built three years ago. "Good bye." With a whisper, she started to walk away. Her determination slipped between steps, before she full out ran.

_Goodbye._

_**Age 13**_

If, four years ago, someone had told Sakura that she'd be crying every night for the next four years, she'd have brushed it off as a harmless joke. Now, her eyes are puffy and red due to crying restlessly.

"I miss him..." Sakura's voice was hoarse. It didn't seem to be as lively as her age group constantly proved to be.

Sakura silently glided over the wood towards her desk, "I missed him." Her voice gained a new determination, yet it hesitated for that one moment. She clenched the pendant in her hands, and decided that she'd return it and forget him. It wasn't worth the tears. He wasn't worth the tears.

_**Age 14**_

Sakura gulped, it's been a year and she still hasn't brought up the courage to return the pendant. It's been her motivation to continue living ever since she couldn't see Neji anymore. Now she'd have to give it back, because she wouldn't want to keep something that would probably mean less. With that determination set in her mind, she went off to return the pendant.

"I request to speak to Hyuuga Hinata." Okay, so she chickened out. She'll just give the pendant to Neji's cousin and then leave.

Hinata glanced curiously at the pendant Sakura handed to her, "Please return this to Hyuuga Neji." Sakura's voice was soft, and if Hinata trained her ears to listen carefully, she'd have heard the hesitation and pain hidden behind it.

_**Age 15**_

Neji slammed his fist against the tree, clutched tightly inside was the pendant he'd given Sakura for her seventh birthday. Hinata had told him that a year ago, she received it from a girl with pink hair. Since he'd been on a mission during that time, she put it away and completely forgot about it, until recently, she found it in her storage closet.

_Why return it after all these years?_

Neji glanced at the pendant, which seemed to look brand new as it did eight years ago.

"Why...?"

_**Age 16**_

Sakura closed her eyes as she recalled the memories of her younger years. She recalled the days spent sparring with Neji, the pendant she received on her seventh birthday, the joy and laughter as they ran around trying to catch the other, the painful tears she choked down when she couldn't meet with Neji, the long hair he'd outgrown, the day she abandoned the pendant. The second she received an S-classed mission. The minute she fell to her death.

"_Hyuuga-kun... I miss you."_ She whispered, ignoring the loud shouts in the background. Blood dripped down her chin, and she could no longer see who spoke to her. She recalled more memories. The day Neji stopped the teasing her classmates would physically harm, the morning her mother made pancakes for the both of them, the cries of mercy from a war of tickling. The night they both wished on a star.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she fought to speak.

"**SAKURA!"** The voice was fuzzy as she slipped between realms. She couldn't stay here, because someone needed her on the other side.

"_I missed you, Neji."_

_Goodbye._

_**Age 17**_

Neji refused to believe what he had heard. Nevertheless, he knew it to be true. It all made sense. His father telling him that Sakura faked their friendship; it was just to protect Sakura from Hiashi sealing her tongue.

A year ago, he'd followed Sakura on her mission after he found out the Akatsuki were near her destination. He'd been too late, no matter how loud his cries were, he knew she wouldn't respond.

Now, as he visits the memorial stone, he'd trace over Sakura's name–just below Hizashi.

_I'm sorry, goodbye._


End file.
